Dallas, TX. Heritage Auction Galleries is presenting its inaugural Signature Auction at the Money Show of the Southwest, taking place in Houston, November 29-30, 2007. Descriptions and images of all lots are currently posted at HA.com, and are available for bidding. Combining the Signature and Final Session catalogs, nearly 4,000 lots covering a broad range of coinage will be auctioned.

According to Heritage President Greg Rohan, “Our year-end events continue to be very successful, with buyers and sellers seeking the last major auctions before the New Year. Heritage’s schedule includes two November Signature events - the first in Dallas, and the second in Houston. The Houston catalogs include hundreds of Registry-leading coins.”

“The November Houston catalog is anchored by several important collections,” continued Rohan. “The Michael Fuller Registry Collection Of Washington Quarters greatly extends Heritage’s leadership in auctioning Registry collections. Fuller has assembled a world-class collection that has captured six different #1 Current/#1 All-Time rankings in different categories, as well as additional Registry honors. The Nick-A-Jack Collection was assembled by an astute investor who started collecting back in the 1970s, in addition to investing in many other areas; at the age of 92, he is still actively and successfully trading options.

The Pearl E. Pemberton Collection contains more than thirty gold dollars collecting by this astonishing woman who made the Land Run of 1889 into the unassigned lands of Oklahoma with her father; she ultimately visited the capitol buildings of all 50 states with her husband of 56 years, as well as traveling internationally. Before her death in 1980, Mrs. Pemberton often told friends and family that she had lived through the most interesting time of history: she traveled by horse and buggy as a child, later by automobile, then airplane and jet, and had lived to see a man walk on the moon.”

“Our final anchor consignment is the Fleur Wales-Baillie Collection, with selected lots benefiting the Khumbula Thina Trust,” concluded Rohan. “The Khumbula Thina Trust is a U.S. 501-[C]3 Private Operating Foundation working in the Zulu lands of Africa. The funds generated will be used to expand the territory for existing wildlife, and establish a water system of lakes and ponds for aquatic birdlife. I encourage you to view their fascinating website at www.Khumbula.org for additional details.” (more…)

Dallas, TX. Heritage Auction Galleries will be presenting a late-year Signature Auction in Dallas, November 6-7, 2007. Descriptions and images of all lots are currently posted at HA.com, and are available for bidding. When the Signature and Final Session catalogs are combined, nearly 5,500 lots covering a broad range of coinage will be auctioned.

“The November Dallas catalog is anchored by the Sterling Collection of silver and gold commemoratives,” noted Heritage President Greg Rohan, “and the Arroyo Grande Collection from America’s gold rush heritage, including nineteen Liberty double eagles dated from 1855 to 1865, an 1852 Reeded Edge Humbert $50 (certified AU58 by NGC), and an important group of gold ingots; pedigrees include the S.S. Central America; the S.S. Republic , and the S.S. Brother Jonathan. The November catalog also contains many Registry-level coins from all series.”

According to Rohan, “Our year-end events have proven to be extremely successful, with consignors seeking the last major auctions before the calendar rolls into another new year, and bidders always anxious to add important coins. In 2007, Heritage is adding a new twist instead of two events here in Dallas, our final Signature Auction will take place at the Houston Coin Expo. This is a very exciting time for the coin market!” (more…)

Dallas, TX. The Official Auctions of the September 2007 Long Beach Coin Expo were held by Heritage Auction Galleries, and included Signature Auctions of U.S. coins ($11,311,996), U.S. currency ($10,486,434), ancient and world coins ($3,210,026), and U.S. tokens and medals ($598,946). When proceeds from Final Session Auctions of U.S. coins, U.S. currency, and ancient and world coins are concluded, plus Post Auction Buys from all events are added, the total prices realized are expected to approach $27 million. This was Heritage’s 61st Official Auction at Long Beach. All lot descriptions, images, and prices realized for more than eleven thousand lots that sold in Long Beach are currently posted at HA.com.

“Heritage offered an incredible suite of events at the September Long Beach,” noted Heritage President Greg Rohan. “The U.S. Signature event contained wonderful rarities from the silver and gold series, and Heritage’s leadership position offering high-level Registry coins continued with Jim O’Neal’s collection of Indian Half Eagles and the #3 PCGS ‘Mile High’ Registry Set of Carson City Morgan Dollars.” (more…)

by Greg Reynolds for CoinLink

An 1879-S Double Eagle ($20 gold coin) is ‘in the news’ as the finest certified piece is being offered by Heritage tonight, Friday, Sept. 28, 2007. Heritage is conducting the official auction of the Long Beach (CA) Coin, Stamp and Collectible Expo. Although I could not attend the Long Beach Expo this time, I did have the pleasure of closely examining this exact same coin in the past.

Numerous abrasions and contact marks are almost always expected on gold coins, especially large ones. Gold is a very soft metal. This 1879-S has very few light, short hairline scratches. Sure, a coin expert would notice these very few scratches, even without a glass. I have seen, however, many certified MS-65 grade Double Eagles that have more scratches. Furthermore, almost all Double Eagles have at least a few small, circular contact marks, often from contact with other coins. This Double Eagle does not seem to have almost zero such contact marks. Besides, no one expects a MS-64 grade coin to look perfect. Even a MS-67 grade Double Eagle would typically have a few marks and light scratches.

This coin is sharply struck. Certainly, Miss Liberty on this coin has more hair detail than do most of her cousins on other San Francisco Mint Double Eagles of the third design type, minted from 1877 to 1907. (more…)

by Greg Reynolds for CoinLink

During the evening of Friday, Sept. 28, Heritage will auction Jim O’Neal’s set of Indian Half Eagles ($5 gold coins). These were minted from 1908 to 1916, and again in 1929. O’Neal’s set is the “Current Finest” and the fourth “All-Time Finest” such set in the registry of the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS). The offering of O’Neal’s collection is one part of the official auction of the Long Beach (CA) Coin, Stamp and Collectible Expo.

The present purpose is to highlight O’Neal’s more newsworthy Indian Head Half Eagles, plus to provide an idea of the meaning and significance of his set. The rules governing the PCGS registry require that only PCGS graded coins may be registered. This O’Neal set is of business strikes, coins made by ordinary means. Business strikes that lack visible wear are said to be uncirculated. The modern concept of ‘Mint State’ roughly approximates the traditional definition of uncirculated. To grade ‘Mint State (or Proof) coins, all eleven points on a scale from 60 to 70 are employed.

O’Neal’s Half Eagles that have attracted a good deal of attention, or are most likely to ‘make news,’ are the ones that are high in the condition rankings for their respective dates. Undoubtedly, there are other Half Eagles in O’Neal’s set that are attractive and desirable, but it is not feasible to discuss them here.

Although the 1909 New Orleans issue (1909-O) is the scarcest date in the Indian Head Half Eagle series, O’Neal’s 1908-Denver, 1914-D and 1914-San Francisco Half Eagles are perhaps the most important coins in his set. His 1910 and 1912 Philadelphia Half Eagles are also newsworthy. For each of these dates, O’Neal’s Half Eagle is likely to be among the finest known, possibly even the finest.

While Indian Head Half Eagles are not very rare coins, collectors are willing to pay tremendous premiums for high quality pieces, especially for coins that are among the five or ten finest for their respective dates. Consider that a 1914-S Half Eagle has a retail value of around $1500 in MS-60 grade and may be worth anywhere from $35,000 to $65,000 in MS-64 grade. (more…)

Printable Catalog (Show Lot No. and Current Bid only)Title Page, Floor Session and License InformationMail or Fax Your Bids Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader

Location: Long Beach, CA Description: Heritage Numismatic Auctions offers U.S. and World coins, medals, and tokens in our Signature Auctions & Final Session Sales, held in conjunction with some of the largest numismatic conventions. These sales feature award-winning cataloging and photography. Call or e-mail one of our Consignment Directors to learn about selling through Heritage…. Auction Type: Signature (The floor auction is being held in - Long Beach, CA on September 27-28, 2007. Online bidding ends at 10:00PM CT the night before the floor session for this lot. Your secret maximum bid will compete for you during the floor auction, and it is possible that you may be outbid on the floor after internet bidding closes.) Auction Name: 2007 September Long Beach, CA Signature Coin Auction #446 Buyer’s Premium: 15% of the successful bid (minimum $9 per lot) Auction Dates: September 27-28, 2007 Sales Tax: Is required for residents of: CA, TX (more…) Terms and Conditions Take 6 months to Pay! Browse Lots by Category

Featured Collections
The Jim O’Neal Collection of Indian Half Eagles
The Laguna Niguel Collection, Part Two
The #3 PCGS ‘Mile High’ Registry Set of Carson City Morgan Dollars
The Arnold & Harriet Collection, Part Two
The Diemer L. Fife Collection
The Mario Eller Collection, Part One
The Beau Clerc Collection

Floor Sessions (Internet bidding closes at 10pm CT the evening before the session begins)
Session 1 (Lots 1-836) - 1:00 pm Long Beach, CA time, Thursday, September 27, 2007.
Session 2 (Lots 837-1992) - 7:00 pm Long Beach, CA time, Thursday, September 27, 2007.
Session 3 (Lots 1993-2297) - 9:30 am Long Beach, CA time, Friday, September 28, 2007.
Session 4 (Lots 2298-3003) - 1:00 pm Long Beach, CA time, Friday, September 28, 2007.
Session 5 (Lots 3004-4167) - 6:30 pm Long Beach, CA time, Friday, September 28, 2007.

Exhibition Viewing Times

Dallas, TX. The Official Auctions of the September 2007 Long Beach Coin Expo will be held by Heritage Auction Galleries the final week of September in Long Beach, California. Heritage will present Signature Auctions of U.S. coins (Sept. 27-28), U.S. tokens and medals (Sept. 27-28), U.S. currency (Sept. 28-29), and ancient and world coins (Sept. 27-28). Individual lots in Heritage’s 61st Official Auction at Long Beach, with descriptions and images, are currently posted at HA.com.

“The September Long Beach Signature catalog of U.S. coins,” noted Heritage President Greg Rohan, “contains numerous wonderful rarities from both the silver and gold series, with many high Registry-level coins; we are especially pleased to be offering The Jim O’Neal Collection of Indian Half Eagles and The #3 PCGS ‘Mile High’ Registry Set of Carson City Morgan Dollars. Altogether, more than 8,000 U.S. coin lots will be available for viewing in Long Beach, and when all of the other lots are added in, nearly 20,000 lots of numismatic treasures will be available for inspection and bidding.” (more…)

By Numismaster

Heritage Auction Galleries’ September Long Beach auction of world coins holds an offering of Russian coins and medals, led by a proof example of the 1836 1-1/2 Family ruble.

The coin features the portrait of Nicholas I on the obverse, while the reverse features eight smaller cameos of the imperial family: the bust of Empress Alexandra in the center, surrounded by busts of the royal children with no circles.

The sale will be held Sept. 25-26 at the Long Beach Convention Center.

“The post-1800 Russian rubles are extremely desirable in today’s market, especially the ultra rare family pieces,” said Heritage world coin director Warren Tucker.

Dallas, TX: An extremely rare medal minted circa 1801 will be sold in Heritage’s 61st Official September Long Beach Signature Auction. The special Tokens and Medals auction will be held September 28-29 at the Long Beach Convention Center.

“Heritage is especially excited about this important discovery,” noted Heritage President Greg Rohan. “The 1801 Emancipator of America medal, Baker-83, is rarity-ranked as a low R.8. For decades, numismatic researchers have known of only two examples of the medal, which was struck circa 1801. The first of those resides permanently in the collection of the Massachusetts Historical Society, and the second was sold in 2004 in the John J. Ford, Jr. sale. This previously unreported third piece was purchased through a private transaction with a numismatic firm in London, and has been impounded in the same collection since 1957. Once the Ford example was sold, collectors had virtually no hopes of obtaining one.”

Russell Rulau and George Fuld described this issue in their Medallic Portraits of Washington (1999); their illustration, the holed and gilt example from the John J. Ford Collection, still realized $11,500 in 2004. The obverse features a right-facing bust of GEORGE WASHINGTON, while on the reverse the Angel of Fame, blowing her trumpet, flies above an olive and oak wreath containing EMANCIPATOR OF AMERICA.\ (more…)